So In Love
by Italian Skunk
Summary: Rare Pair Month 2015. Week Two - Romerica. 7 out of 7 completed.
1. adoption

**A/N - Hi everyone! Sorry that this isn't _Without Love_ , like I sort of promised... or this other story that I got permission to write ;) But both of those will be uploaded eventually. I decided to take a shot at Rare Pair Month, for Romerica week. The chapter titles are the set themes for each day as well!**

 **Please enjoy and review!**

* * *

 **Summary** \- Alfred and Lovino have been taking care of Hattie ever since they adopted her when she was one. With Hattie came her little stuffed bunny, Bunny. But now Hattie is four, and they've recently moved, resulting in Bunny getting lost.

* * *

" _Lovino!"_

There was one, two worrying minutes of silence that there was no answer except for the click of a door closing, but then Alfred heard Lovino's lightly-placed footsteps bounding down the hallway to the guest room, where they had placed some of the boxes they didn't need as soon after the move.

The artificial light of the lamp embraced Lovino's shadow as it appeared from the open doorway. He was glaring.

"Could you be any louder?" Lovino hissed as he crossed his arms. "I just got Hattie to fall asleep for the night and I don't want her waking up so soon-"

Alfred lifted up his discovery from the cardboard box, holding it carefully in his hands, before turning to show it to Lovino. "Guess what I found?"

Lovino's green eyes grew wide, and he rushed right over to Alfred's side. "No…" he breathed in disbelief. "You did not-!"

"In one of the miscellaneous boxes, I did." Alfred laughed a bit. "I don't know what possessed me to look through them, but I'm glad I did."

Lovino took the stuffed animal into his hands, the light blue fur soft against his fingers. He sighed softly, looking at Alfred with a newfound relief, a shared relief. "She'll be so happy."

Alfred gave another laugh, gentle and warm. "She should be - she had Bunny ever since she was left at the agency. And ever since this move..."

* * *

 _Lovino woke up to the yellow light of the hallway crashing into his and Alfred's room. He was rattled by loud sniffles, and sitting up disconnected Alfred's arm from around his waist._

 _He mumbled a bit, rubbing at his eyes. Surprised that he had fallen asleep at all._

 _New house._

 _They had arranged furniture in the living room and in the kitchen and the bedrooms. They had gone out to shop for food, and came back to put it away and cook and eat._

 _The small family had been full and exhausted, even little Hattie who colored and got in Alfred and Lovino's way when it came to moving the furniture._

 _Lovino had shown Hattie to her room, which they would take the time to decorate and make it her own. Alfred stood further down the hall, at the doorway to their bedroom, so Hattie could see where their room would be._

 _They had tucked her into bed with the blanket at her chin and her nightlight on._

 _But no Bunny._

 _They hadn't noticed the absence of the beloved stuffed animal._

 _Even Hattie hadn't noticed from being so tired, but there she was, standing in the doorway with tears running down her freckled cheeks. "Papa!" she sniffed._

 _Lovino's expression softened, and he reached down - a signal for her to run to him so he could pick her up. He cradled her in his arms, settling upright against the headboard. It felt cold and bit through the fabric of his shirt. "Oh, princess, what's wrong?" he asked, voice soft as to avoid waking Alfred._

" _Bunny! Bunny's gone!" she announced, light green eyes filling with more tears._

" _... Bunny isn't gone, sweetheart." Alfred mumbled, propping himself upright on his elbows. "we just have to unpack her."_

 _Lovino hummed in agreement, brushing her blonde curls out her face. "We'll do that first thing after breakfast, okay?"_

* * *

That was seven days ago. Bunny hadn't turned up until now. They'd forgotten about the boxes in the guest room.

* * *

"Good morning, princess."

Hattie rubbed quietly at her bright eyes before reaching out lazily for Lovino to pick her up. He tucked her fluffy, pink and white polka-dot blanket around her and held her close.

She whined under her breath, holding small fistfuls of Lovino's shirt. She let go in favor of resting her head on his shoulder.

"Where's daddy?" she mumbled.

"Making breakfast - can't you smell it? The cinnamon and sugar? Fresh fruit? Pancakes, my princess. There's also a cup of milk with your name on it."

Hattie mumbled again. Lovino carried her downstairs and to the kitchen.

Alfred looked up from the stove when they entered, lifting the last of the pancakes off and onto a plate where several more were cooling off.

"Oh, Miss Hattie, no smile today?" he wondered.

She shook her head into Lovino's neck.

"Not even for our guest?"

"... Guest?" Hattie echoed, lifting her head to look at Alfred.

"Guest."

And Alfred gestured to something blue.

Hattie's green eyes grew big and glassy. "Bunny!" she cried out, reaching for her friend with one outstretched hand.

Alfred held out the once-lost stuffed animal, and Lovino and him watched her cradle Bunny close to her. Her sweet freckled face scrunched up after several moments, and it seemed as though she wasn't as happy as they assumed she would be.

"W-why…" Hattie hiccuped, rubbing at her eyes with the hand she was once using to hold on to Lovino with. He cradled her close to him. "why do my eyes h-hurt…?"

Alfred came to stand next to Lovino, running a hand through her matted curls.

"Oh, princess…" Lovino began, and both of them were smiling.

"Hattie, are you crying?" Alfred asked.

"Why… why am I crying?"

 _"You're happy, princess!"_


	2. college

**A/N - Day Two! :D It doesn't relate to the theme well, I don't think, but trying is trying and that's what counts, right?**

* * *

 **Summary** \- Lovino only needed someone to model for him.

* * *

Lovino lifts his camera up to the sky, not caring for focus, not caring for sight.

 _Click!_

He sighs.

The roof is warm against his back, burning, and the sunlight is in his eyes. There is a purr, and the developed picture flutters onto his lap.

Another sigh.

Lovino holds the picture up above him, squinting to see the laminated square he pinches in between his fingers.

Rolling clouds. Angry blue. Ill gray. Old white. There should be the silhouette of a bird. Right there. A soothing explosion of rays of sunlight he can barely make out amongst the clouds. Staring at the photograph is beginning to give him a headache.

Alfred had wanted to see the stars the previous night, to see them fall. The idiot is asleep beside him, thick-framed glasses askew and cheeks tinged and sunburnt. He would at least be happy that Lovino had pictures.

Lovino tucks the square away into his bag. His camera is still beside him and he crosses his arms over his face to block out the sun.

After five minutes, he moves himself closer to Alfred. He can hear his heart beating.

* * *

Alfred glances up from his video game to where Lovino sits at his desk, bathing in artificial lamp light with his tray of chalk pastels open beside him.

There is a streak of robin's egg blue across Lovino's forehead. He would probably sneeze tangerine dust later.

Several photographs are pinned to a cork board, and Lovino throws his own series of glances up at them for reference.

Alfred grins, setting his controller down in favor of heading to the kitchen.

Lovino glares when Alfred sets down a plate on his desk. The simple smell of the toasted cheese sandwich is so _Alfred_ , but Lovino can see he added tomato sauce for a more pizza-like taste. Just for him.

"You should really eat something," Alfred tells him. "you've been slaving over that project for hours when it's actually already done."

"It's not done." Lovino protests.

"What makes you think so? It looks like an exact copy of your brother, and very fancy with all of those bright colors. That was your assignment, wasn't it? Hyper-realism or something? Screwing around with the colors…?"

Lovino doesn't seem to appreciate Alfred's attempt at understanding art for the time being. His frown deepens.

"It doesn't look right."

"It looks fine."

"No."

"How many times are you going to start over?"

"Until it looks right."

* * *

Alfred had fallen asleep on their small couch.

From where Lovino sits on the floor, sketchbook on his lap and charcoal pencil in hand, he thinks Alfred looks rather calm and beautiful.

* * *

"... Will you be my model?"

Alfred looks up from his laptop to where Lovino stands at the entryway to their small living room. Lovino had come home to their apartment late from typing an essay at the library. Alfred frowns slightly, eyebrows furrowing, at how defeated he sounds.

"What's with the sudden question? I thought you finished it a week ago?"

"I took a look at it this morning and decided I hated everything about it?"

"Gil did nothing to you though,"

"I feel like I used the wrong highlight colors for him."

"Really?"

Lovino nods hesitantly. "So… will you?"

"Will I get anything out of it?"

"I..." Lovino thinks for a moment, and the TV light catches in his golden eyes. "will make you pizza whenever you want for the next month?"

"Tempting offer…" Alfred replies, and now he thinks for a moment. "Alright. Pizza whenever I want for the next month. Deal."

Alfred loves the rare, grateful smile that ignites Lovino's face.

* * *

Lovino sits on the floor of the living room again, and Alfred lays sprawled across the couch in great comfort, game controller in hand and glasses reflecting the TV.

"So is there any reason why you won't just take a picture like you did with all of your other test subjects?" Alfred wonders, and he glances from his game to Lovino.

Lovino rolls his eyes before answering: "I never… _captured_ anything in all of my other attempts. To be honest, I was sketching you the other night and they turned out… wonderful."

"Oh?"

"Um, yeah… Not like the I-watched-you-for-hours-on-end-to-get-every-last-detail sort of watched you, but… five-minute sketches, y'know?"

"... Sure."

Lovino rolls his eyes, picking up his pencil. "Just play your stupid game."

So Alfred puts his attention back to his game, and Lovino starts his sketching. They go on like that for a while, engulfed in the sounds of a game's gunfire and a pencil's hiss across paper. A single glance tells Alfred that Lovino has moved on to filling the spaces with simple colors.

Lovino doesn't notice for a while that Alfred has paused his game in favor of watching him work ceaselessly. There comes a time when he does look up, however, to double-check the glint of the TV light off of Alfred's glasses. Catching Alfred's blue eyes on him has Lovino falter.

"... You're cute." Alfred decides to express, and it doesn't take him long to realize that this decision has already been made several months prior.

Lovino starts again, his bright pink chalk fumbling from his grasp. He stutters. He is caught off guard, and Alfred wants to say that his heart has skipped a beat. He takes a breath, takes some hopeful leap forward.

"... Lovino, I think I love you."


	3. music

**A/N - Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran :)**

 **I will be taking a small break from this, but I do plan to eventually finish all seven prompts by the end of the year! When I do finish this, however, I will have to fix the chapters so that they go in order of the prompts.**

* * *

 **Summary** \- The coastline was so peaceful. Chiara could paint, and Emilia could watch.

* * *

Emilia was woken by the bleached sunlight, the music in her ears, the fluttering curtains, the lone figure by the French doors.

Chiara was balanced on a stool, a leg bent underneath her and the other perched on the spindle of the stool. Half-dried curls draped against her neck, down her back, several locks loosely tied with a white ribbon. From the occasional movement of her golden shoulders and slim arms, of the glances she cast out the window with her big, murky eyes, Emilia knew she was painting.

But the music in her ears - she had no idea when it had started, when it had begun to gently shake her awake.

* * *

 _And should this be the last thing I see,_

 _I want you to know it's enough for me,_

 _'cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need..._

* * *

Emilia stretched, pausing the music and taking the earbuds out. She wound them around her phone, plopping it down on the bed amongst the blankets. She stood and waltzed her way across the hardwood floor towards Chiara.

Chiara glanced over her shoulder at the sound of soft padding across the floor, several more ringlets spilling down her back, before turning back around to hide her warm smile.

Emilia wrapped her arms around Chiara's middle, humming the rest of the song quietly. Suddenly, she cut off to murmur "Good morning," and to kiss Chiara's cheek. And then: "What are you painting?"

"Your eyes are the same color as the sky. It was raining earlier." was all Chiara replied with.

Emilia stole a glance to the French doors, to the outside world.

Pacific blue sky. Cloudless. Black waves, black plants. Almond sand. The patio was drying. Somewhere, when the water receded, raindrops fell instead.

Emilia grinned. "Beautiful." she said.

Emilia remained by Chiara's side for several quiet minutes. A quiet hour, watching as the last bits of white were dabbed into the angry waves for the sizzling foam that hid imprinted footprints in the sand.

But it was done, and Emilia found herself almost blinded by the dazzling blue, sighing in numb amazement at the talent.

Chiara stretched, arms reaching upward and back arching. Emilia ran her hands down Chiara's bare sides, and Chiara hummed.

"Coffee?" Emilia wondered aloud, smiling at the slight nod she received.

"Breakfast." Chiara corrected, giggling at the little growl she heard come from Emilia's stomach.

* * *

Coffee kisses.

French toast kisses.

The painting had dried.

* * *

Chiara couldn't sleep well that night, and she laid amongst the warm, thin blankets with Emilia's arms around her.

The moonlight was spilling in through the French doors like a river, sparking like broken jewels catching in the light off of the calmed waters. The waves rippled and splashed upon reaching shore, and even with Emilia's faint breathing in he ear, Chiara couldn't find herself dozing off.

Chiara twisted around, breathing in the comforting smell of bubblegum, vanilla, and salt water that was Emilia.

There was a mumble from her, and then Chiara was staring at wondrous blue eyes. "Can't sleep?"

Chiara blinked her dark eyes.

Emilia's silvery curls were matted from sleep, matted in an almost natural manner. Her moonlit hair contrasted grandly against her smooth, milky skin. Her eyes, so blue, met Chiara's.

Chiara was silent for a minute, lost in feeling warm and treasured. She had never felt so in love.

Emilia pressed a kiss to Chiara's forehead.

Chiara sighed, and offered a small smile. "I think I can now."


	4. fighting

**A/N - Hello everyone! First off, _little_ break? More like _big_ break. And finishing the prompts before the end of 2015? Last I checked, we're half way through 2016. So very sorry about that! I just never knew what I wanted to do for this prompt in particular, and every attempt was useless ^^; Anyways, I've decided that I'll just work on this... whenever, really, but I would love to finish it before summer ends.**

 **These prompts are also going to stay out of order. This originally would have been theme three and "music" would have been the fourth, but oh well ^^**

 **Please enjoy!**

* * *

 **Summary** \- It just had to be the hottest day of the summer, and there just had to be one ice cream sandwich left. Lovino vowed that Alfred would be a dead man if he so even touched it.

* * *

Lovino made a surprised noise the moment Alfred threw the ice cream sandwich at him like he were whipping a ball in dodgeball. Well, not really, but still. The cold treat landed on his chest, the impact an unforgiving chill against his skin. He was quick to pick it up, scowling at Alfred from behind his sunglasses.

"You didn't have to throw it." he hissed, as Alfred laughed and unwrapped his own ice cream.

Lovino sat up on the lounge chair, crossing his legs. He picked at the white wrapper, carefully tearing it away from the chocolate cookie and vanilla ice cream. He took a careful bite. Alfred unwrapped his, tearing a section of the sandwich off and wrapping it back up.

"You're not going to finish it? It'll melt." Lovino replied, taking another small bite. It was creamy and sweet.

Alfred looked down at the white package in his hands. "Oh…"

"Yeah, _oh_."

Alfred smiled sheepishly.

* * *

Not too long after Lovino had finished off his sandwich, he joined Alfred by the pool. Alfred had placed him in charge of watching over his half-eaten ice cream sandwich. While Alfred floated around and swam, Lovino sat with his legs in the water.

They talked about anything and they laughed at anything. At times, Alfred would ask Lovino to tear off a bite-sized piece of his ice cream sandwich and toss it at him to catch in his mouth.

"You're like a seagull when you catch it, y'know?" Lovino said.

Alfred snorted and swam closer to Lovino. He only had so much time to place the ice cream sandwich down beside his sunglasses and get a gasp of air before Alfred took ahold of his ankles and pulled him into the water.

Seconds later, Lovino resurfaced, wiping the water from his eyes and pushing his hair out of his face. "What _the hell_ , you asshole?!" he snapped.

Alfred laughed, pulling Lovino closer. The water was cold. "I am _not_ a seagull." he murmured, pressing a kiss to Lovino's lips.

* * *

Later in the day, when both Lovino and Alfred were beginning to get tired of being outside, they decided to come in for an early dinner. Of course, Alfred didn't see the harm in sneaking another ice cream sandwich before their meal.

The _last_ ice cream sandwich.

Alfred thought, with Lovino tending to the pot on the stove, he wouldn't notice the freezer door opening and closing, or hear Alfred rustling around with the box that originally held ten of the treats to free the last one over the sound of the fan. Lovino turned around the moment the box was tossed in the trash, looking at Alfred with a slight frown and raised eyebrow.

"... What do you think you're doing?" Lovino asked.

Alfred, acting like he _wasn't_ just caught red-handed, stammered: "U-uh-... um, taking… the last ice cream sandwich?"

"The last ice cream sandwich?" Lovino repeated.

"The last ice cream sandwich." Alfred confirmed.

...

"If you know what's good for you, then you'll put it back."

Alfred normally wouldn't be fearful of Lovino should this situation happen anywhere else, but they were in _the kitchen_. The kitchen was Lovino's _domain_. The kitchen had many… _weapons_. Lovino could get as harsh- _passionate_ as the lady from that _Ratatouille_ movie.

Anyways, Alfred ran.

It was too hot to discuss what would happen to the ice cream sandwich like mature adults.

"You'll be a dead man if you don't put it down, Jones!"

And Lovino was running after him after he turned off the stove. Alfred hated how fast Lovino could run sometimes, grunting as he fell forward, taken by surprise as Lovino tackled him to the ground.

Alfred managed to twist around, fighting back all the more harder when he realized Lovino had brought _a knife_ with him as well. Sure it was a butter knife and had been dropped a foot or so away from them, but _still_.

Their almost playful wrestling continued with clipped sentences of _Give me the damn ice cream, Alfred!_ and _Over my dead body!_

The two of them fell quiet, however, when Alfred's hand with the sandwich slipped up and they watched in horror as the ice cream sandwich went flying… right into _their swimming pool._

Alfred carefully moved Lovino off of him and sat up, jumping slightly when Lovino groaned. "Alfred… I just wanted to cut it in half!"

He smiled crookedly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh… U-um, well… What if we made our own?" Lovino looked at him curiously. "Like we bake some cookies and sandwich some ice cream in-between?"

Lovino considered it for a moment before smiling faintly. "Okay, sounds like a plan."


	5. coffee

**A/N - This one was a bit difficult to write... since I don't like coffee, haha... ha...**

* * *

 **Summary -** Lovino is absolutely _swooning_ over Alfred's coffee-based puns. Kinda...

* * *

Alfred wiped off the counter with a striped washcloth and then, with a frown and a sheet of paper towel, wiped his smudged glasses clean.

The café door swung open and the little silver bell that hung overhead chimed and chimed and Alfred blinked at the blurry figure standing before him.

"Hello! How may I help you?"

Alfred put his glasses back on to watch the young man across the counter gaze around the cozy space. He watched the man study his small and treasured café, the smell new and the sight infamous - they had opened not even a week ago and Alfred, not wanting to admit it, didn't do too much of a good job at getting the word out. Alfred wondered what he was thinking about, concerning the empty tables and chairs, the pretty pictures, the wall of maroon, cream, and navy mugs, the last-minute addition of an out-of-place gumball machine.

"Um… Hello-?" he tried again, jumping a bit as the man snapped his head back around. Alfred stared for a moment, at the harsh olive eyes.

"Can I draw here?"

"Draw?"

"Yeah. Can I draw here? Maybe paint a little too."

Alfred blinked. Oh. "Yeah, go ahead."

A small smile lifted the corners of the man's lips and he glanced quickly from the menu to the display case of baked goods and back to Alfred, one hand snatching his wallet from the bag at his side. "Thank you. I'll take a cappuccino. With chocolate on top. And could I have one of those sugar cookies? Please."

Alfred grinned. "Can do. What's your name?"

"Lovino."

* * *

Lovino came every other day, carrying in tow a tanned, worn satchel that held his black sketchbook and stitched, cream pencil case. Sometimes he had a travel-size case of watercolors and sometimes he had an new, unopened case of markers in it too. His wallet. Keys. A flattened pack of _Extra_ peppermint gum.

He always ordered a different drink, a different baked good.

* * *

One day Lovino came in with several others. For one moment he smiled at the sight of the semi-busy café and smiled at Alfred before scowling over his shoulder at something said to him. There were three others with Lovino, and they waited in line.

Lovino. Feliciano. Emma. Lars.

Coffees and pastries.

As Lovino was leaving, he noticed something on the coffee cup in his gloved hand. It was autumn and it was strangely cold. He paused, squinting at the black Sharpie on his cup. It crossed out words. There was a smiley face scribbled on next to it.

 _Careful, === ========_ _you're ===== == ===== ==_ _extremely hot. :)_

Lovino looked back at Alfred, surprised and blushing. Alfred smiled sheepishly, feeling a blush of his own creeping upon his face. Feliciano peered over at the cup, laughing. Alfred faintly heard, " _Looks like someone has a crush on you!_ "

* * *

 _Hold the sugar? Good, because you're sweet enough for me._

Lovino looked from his coffee cup to Alfred, grinning behind the counter _like the dork he was_ and oblivious to the _Are you serious?_ stare he was getting from Lovino.

However, as Lovino left, there was the hint of a smile on his lips.

* * *

 _I like the way you espresso yourself!_

Lovino glanced up from his gesture sketches to the maroon coffee cup - filled with hot chocolate, however - placed down on the table, the piece of tape and the scribbled, smeared Sharpie staring back at him. When he looked up at Alfred, the man was already walking away.

Last time Alfred checked, Lovino had pressed the piece of tape to the cover of his sketchbook.

* * *

 _Can I get your number? Because I like you a latte!_

The paper airplane sailed through the rather empty café, skidding to a stop on the floor beside Lovino's table. Lovino dropped his colored pencil and scooped up the plane, unfolding it with a raised eyebrow and laughing faintly at the question. He picked up the colored pencil again. The paper airplane sailed back across the room. Lovino laughed again when it hit Alfred in the back of the head.

...

 _ **XXX-XXXX**_

" _... Hello?"_

" _Lovino!"_

" _Alfred, you need to learn some better puns."_


	6. the end

**A/N - One more left!**

* * *

 **Summary** \- At the end of the day...

* * *

Alfred sits cross-legged at one end of the couch, video game controller in hand. Lovino sits at the other end of the couch, a pillow separating his back from the arm of the couch, either with his phone in his hands, a book or a sketchbook. They sit in the cool air of their living room, sitting mostly in darkness but not quietness. The game is loud but doesn't muffle keyboard-taping, page-turning, or pencil-scratching.

* * *

Some nights there is a bottle of red wine on the coffee table, amongst other things like a couple of stray markers on Lovino's end or a bag of stale gummy bears on Alfred's. The wine glass is always Lovino's, however, because Alfred prefers a large glass of soda that chimes with ice cubes. Once or twice, Lovino has caught Alfred's soda glass replaced with one for wine, but that's okay.

* * *

Tonight, he has a McDonalds cup filled with cold Coca Cola. Beside Lovino's half-filled wine glass is an empty French fry container.

Almost every time Alfred beats a difficult level, he will pause the game, lean over, and interrupt what Lovino is doing for a kiss. It's a victory kiss. It's a good kiss. It's a wonderful kiss. It's a kiss that leaves Lovino warmer than the wine does.

When Alfred pulls away, Lovino simply blinks and Alfred cracks a grin, the neon flash of the TV reflecting haphazardly in his glasses.

Lovino leans up and kisses Alfred because the person he was texting can be texted later, the page he was reading can be opened up to later, or the sketches can be finished later. Alfred forgets about the video game in favor of pulling Lovino across the couch cushions, to his end of the couch, and kissing him some more.

Lovino only pulls away when Alfred's hands are about to creep underneath his oversized sweater or move the collar so he can place more kisses on a freckled, sunkissed shoulder.

* * *

Some nights, Lovino won't pull away, and they'll find their way up the stairs and to the bedroom.

* * *

Tonight, Alfred returns the kisses back to Lovino's lips from the crook of his neck apologetically, but doesn't bother to fix his lopsided sweater.

They lay on the couch, TV screen soon going black and leaving them in the dim, yellowish light that finds its way from the kitchen. Lovino pulls the folded up plaid blanket off the back of the couch, draping it over the two of them.

The person he was texted can be texted tomorrow. The book can be read tomorrow. The sketches can be finished tomorrow.

The game can be played tomorrow.

Alfred wraps his arms around Lovino, taking off his glasses and sitting them and the game controller on the mess of a coffee table, and they fall asleep.


	7. new

**A/N - And the last theme! It was very hard to think of something I could write for, haha. I had very poor... organization? ... with this little event (as well as with other stories I have planned, but _sshhhh!_ ), hence the massive break with it and all, but I _did_ want to finish it, and now it is! Just a bit of a mess is all ^^; Hope you enjoyed!**

* * *

 **Summary** \- Emilia wakes up her girlfriend Chiara in hopes of getting a hair cut, as well as to bear witness to the start of a new day.

* * *

Chiara mumbled as Emilia tried to shake her awake.

"... Wha?" She mumbled, opening her eyes slightly before burying her face into her pillow. " _What_?"

"Will you cut my hair?"

Chiara didn't move for a minute but was soon turning her head, propping herself up on her elbow, to look at Emilia sitting beside her, legs folded underneath her and black bikini contrasting with her pale skin. She squinted at her, studying tiredly how Emilia's matted curls fell a bit below her shoulders.

"It looks fine."

"Yeah, but it's too long for me."

"That's not too long."

"Can you just cut it for me? Above my shoulders? _Please_. If not that, could you at least trim the edges?"

"Now?" Chiara groaned, sitting upright.

"Now. Can we do it by the water, too?" Emilia asked hopefully, stepping away from the bed to let Chiara move the blankets away and stand. She paused with a frown, looking at Emilia with her legs dangling over the side of the bed and blankets barely pushed aside.

"What the hell is wrong with the bathroom?"

"Uh… um, well…" Chiara raised an eyebrow as Emilia shuffled her feet and looked away from her. At the floor, at the wall, fumbling over words. "I… I wanted to see the sunrise with you."

"... Oh… Well, then, okay. I'll cut your hair and we can see the sunrise together." Chiara said softly, blinking up at Emilia.

Emilia beamed at her, brighter than the sun that had yet to rise.

* * *

"If you don't sit still, it'll end up crooked." Chiara hissed.

Emilia immediately fell still, tensing up as the water rushed up to greet them.

"It's cold!"

"Well, I can't help that it's cold. You wanted your hair cut here. Turn your head again."

Emilia huffed, pouting as Chiara twisted her head to the right. _Snip, snip… snip._

Curled ends of Emilia's wet hair sat on a paper towel beside Chiara. They were both clad in bikinis, Emilia's black and Chiara's a colorful Aztec pattern - not because it was hot, no, the night was rather cool, but if Emilia wanted her hair cut this close to the water, then why ruin clothes? Further back, where the water couldn't reach, was a small white basket of things they'd brought for breakfast awaiting them on a just as colorful beach towel.

 _Snip… snip._

"And…-" _Snip_. "Turn my way. C'mon."

Emilia twisted herself around, and immediately hissed as the water came to shore again. Chiara laughed.

"Dummy." she murmured, trimming the locks of hair that framed Emilia's face and checking to make sure it was even.

"Well?" Emilia muttered.

"Shush. You wanted me to cut your hair, you have no right to be impatient." Chiara replied, though paused to give Emilia a quick kiss.

 _Snip… Snip…_

"There, you're done. I'll fix anything after it's dried." Chiara said, dropping the pair of scissors and comb to the sand off to the side, running her fingers almost affectionately through the damp, frizzing waves of hair. She stood, taking Emilia's hands in hers and pulling the other up. She tore one hand away to carefully pick up the paper towel of hair.

They walked back to the basket, though Chiara went the extra distance to go to the nearest blue, plastic trash can that dotted the beach every so often. Emilia handed her one of their two wrapped sandwiches from the woven basket beside her on the beach towel.

"This isn't much of a _breakfast_ picnic." Chiara pouted, the hint of a smile at the corners of her lips as she accepted the sandwich and picked at the plastic wrapping.

"Shut up," Emilia laughed, blushing in embarrassment. "Watch the sunrise."

Indeed, Chiara turned her head to the horizon, where the dark waves seemed to whisper and coax the burning, red sun into the sky.


End file.
